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Support a just and lasting peace in Palestine and Israel

Signed in 1993, the Oslo Accords were intended to lead to a comprehensive peace agreement within five years, following a gradual redeployment of Israel’s military from areas it occupied in 1967 and the transfer within these areas of responsibility over limited administrative and security issues to Palestinian control.

However, instead of peace, the Oslo process resulted in the further entrenchment of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories. The agreements put in place a permit-and-checkpoint regime that tightened Israeli control over Palestinian movement; drew boundaries that formalized the geographic fragmentation of the occupied Palestinian territory; deepened Israeli control over the Palestinian economy; and did nothing to stop increased land confiscation and clearing, settlement construction, home demolitions, and the theft of natural resources.

If the U.S. is serious about wanting to help achieve a just and lasting peace in Israel and Palestine, we must change our policies and push for an agreement that is based on the ideals of freedom, equality, and justice.

Take action—demand that your legislators support changing U.S. policy. Below is draft language to use for a letter to your member of Congress and your senators.

Draft letter

Dear ____________,

I am writing to ask you to support efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Israel and Palestine.

This month marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Oslo Accords. The Oslo Accords were intended to lead to a final comprehensive peace agreement within five years, but instead have resulted in the further entrenchment of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories through increased settlement construction, land confiscation, geographic fragmentation, and economic and political restrictions.

In short, Oslo has been a failure, and after 20 years, a new negotiating framework is needed.

I’m asking you to support a new, reinvigorated peace effort that corrects the failures of the past. This means stepping away from the Oslo Accords and instead pushing for:

Respect for and protection of human rights and international law

An immediate end to all land confiscation and the discriminatory allocation of natural resources

An immediate end to the construction of illegal settlements

The dismantling of the Wall

An end to the siege on Gaza

Recognition of Palestinian refugees right of return

The complete end to the Israeli military occupation of all lands occupied in 1967

Engagement in negotiations by the European Union, United Nations, and other members of the international community

Secretary of State John Kerry has said that achieving peace in Israel and Palestine must be a priority. He is right, but peace won’t be achieved by repeating the mistakes of the past.

If the U.S. is serious about helping Palestinians and Israelis realize a just and lasting peace, we must change our policies and support a peace based on the ideas above.